17-YEAR-OLD Daniel O’Rahilly, of Castleisland (Kerry) trained Knockeen Dazzler to land the €80,000 to-the-winner Con and Annie Kirby Memorial Stake Final at a packed Limerick Greyhound Stadium.
There to back the winner was Grand National winning horse I Am Maximus, who was paraded before spectators to warm welcome.
O’Rahilly won the McManus family sponsored Juvenile Classic with ‘Dazzler in a smashing time of 28.10 and was the nomination of Mountcollins GAA, who collected €10,000.
Club Chairman Eric Lacy told Limerick’s Live 95: “It’s fabulous. We are a small club. We are actually all into greyhounds ourselves, and these guys (the O’Rahilly Family) are just back the road from us, and in a way they epitomise Mountcollins, as we are a small unit like these guys and they pulled it off in a magnificent manner.”
He added: “For our club, €10,000 is massive. Our parish population is around 400 so this sum accounts for a lot of Lotto ticket sales.”
Ahead of the final, JP McManus’ recent Grand National Winner I Am Maximus and his 2021 winner of the famed race, Minella Times, were both paraded before a very appreciative crowd.
Presentations were made to Lara Hegarty and Julie O’Connell, lead grooms at McManus’ Martinstown Stud.
Greyhound Racing Ireland Chairman Frank Nyhan and CEO Tim Lucey made a joint presentation to JP and Noreen McManus for their recent Aintree win and also a continued involvement with a Classic in memory of her late parents of Crecora.
Elsewhere on the card, there were notable wins for Ballysheedy trainer Neilus O’Connell (Kilcolgan Zeus), Ted Curtin (Charleville) with Valleymount Alf, Castleivy Ginge for Mike and Noel Nash of Drombanna, and Doon’s Pat Buckley with Hopes Hurricane.
The Seán O’Connor Cup – named after a two-time popular All-Ireland Hurling Final referee from Claughaun – was won by Tinahue Pappone for John Fox, Waterford.
